1. Field of the Invention
The invention broadly relates to napkin rings.
2. Prior Art
A napkin ring is a device for securing a napkin in a folded condition. A typical napkin ring is comprised of a circular loop. Some napkin rings include ornaments fixedly attached to the loops. People tend to purchase napkin rings with different ornaments for different occasions. However, ornamented napkin rings are more expensive to make and bulky to store. They are also difficult to position with the ornaments at the top because they tend to roll about on the circular loops.
U.S. Pat. No. 198,065 to Annin discloses a napkin ring comprised of a loop with a fixedly attached name plate. U.S. Pat. No. 345,164 to Monroe discloses a napkin ring with a recessed ornamental band. U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,591 to Le Sueur discloses a napkin ring with a name plate secured inside a slot by a magnetic material. U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,924 to Fritze discloses a napkin ring made of a folded sheet. All the prior art napkin rings include circular loops that tend to roll about and make positioning the ornament at the top rather difficult.
Accordingly, an object of the present napkin ring is to attach an interchangeable ornament on a loop for reducing the cost and bulk of a napkin ring collection.
Another object of the napkin ring is to securely align the ornament on the loop, and still allow the ornament to be easily attached and removed.
Another object of the napkin ring is to stably position the ornament facing up on a table by preventing the loop from rolling.
The present napkin ring is comprised of a loop with a first magnetic material embedded in a top end. First alignment members are arranged around the first magnetic material. A detachable ornament has a second magnetic material attached to a base thereof for mating with the first magnetic material on the loop. Second alignment members are arranged on the bottom of the ornament around the second magnetic material. The second alignment members are arranged to mate with the first alignment members when the ornament is attached to the loop for maintaining the alignment of the ornament on the loop. A flat surface is provided on a bottom end of the loop for preventing the loop from rolling on a table to position the ornament facing up.
FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the napkin ring.
FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view thereof.
FIG. 3 is a side view thereof.
FIG. 4 is a top perspective view thereof securing a napkin and with an ornament detached.
FIG. 5 is a top perspective view thereof with the ornament attached.